Trial of Malaysia's Anwar Ibrahim opens for fifth day
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 6 (AFP) - The trial of ousted deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim opened for a fifth day Friday, with his lawyers seeking access to a potentially-explosive report alleged to contain details of a plot against him.
Lawyers defending Anwar, who is being tried on four charges of corruption, on Thursday demanded to see the report which may name several of the country's most prominent leaders.
"This report is very crucial, my lord. It goes to the root of the matter," lawyer Christopher Fernando told presiding Justice Augustine Paul.
Paul asked the prosecution to find out from the government whether the report could be produced in court on Friday. If not, the defence may have to make a formal application for it.
Under Malaysian law some government documents are highly confidential and may not be declassified for court proceedings.
The report was written in August 1997 by former police special branch chief Mohamed Said Awang and was forwarded to Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad together with letters by two people retracting charges of sexual misconduct against Anwar.
Anwar, who was sacked by his former mentor Mahathir on September 2 after they two fell out over economic policy, has denied charges of using his influence to get witnesses to drop their statements.